Plums and Cherries
by Akimi Kono
Summary: Chiyo is a young girl that is aspiring to be a Geisha for one person, the Chairman. A man she met only once, when she was 9. A Memoirs FanFic. Read and Review please.
1. A Handkerchief

**A/N**: I do not own Memoirs, its concept, its idea, its characters, nor its logos. They belong to Arthur Golden and his _extensive_ research. Thank you.

----

_Spoiled plums ... go untouched, Sayuri. _

It seems impossible to look back on time and recreate memories that you've always felt ... and the harder you try to remember, the easier it is to forget. Features fade and words dissipate -- leaving you with nothing. Soon no one knows what you once felt, not even yourself, and you can no longer imagine someone's touch or their warmth, and their words are lost forever. Can you gain it back?

As the black-haired woman stared upon the glimmering water of the river, the sun shining down on all of Kyoto, she thought back to when she was younger. When she was still back in her small fishing town, when she was part of a family with an older sister and a mother and a father. Closing her eyes, she felt a breeze brush along her back and neck. She wanted that back. But if she could ... would she love it? Would she remember it as she had once? Or was she romanticizing it? Growing up poor with a sick mother and an old father, instead of the glamorous streets of this town with silk gowns and face make-up. Did she miss that, truly?

Sighing heavily, the woman shook her head and turned her eyes up towards the sky. The bright blue color seemed fitting, framing the soft pink petals of the cherry trees and the rolling green hills. It was lovely here ... but, was her home lovelier? A sheer cliff with churning waves and massive storms? Is that what she wanted?

Absentmindedly touching the folds of her obi, she thought of the kind man that had met her when she was nine. The Chairman. Ever since the day on the bridge, she had fallen in love with him. Though it had been almost five years, she still remembered his face. And she was determined not to forget him as she had forgotten her home. She stuck her thumb and index finger down the crease between the belt and her gown and tugged out the fold of cloth. Pulling it up to her face, she ran her thumb over the initials at the bottom corner of the fabric. It was the Chairman's handkerchief. He had given it to her when she was nine, along with money to buy a flavored ice.

Placing it against her face, she breathed in the scent of pine and lavender. It would be her single reminder of the man, should she forget briefly whom she was fighting for. Her struggled into the life of a maiko, and even a Geisha, would be for him and only for him. Not for Mother, Auntie and Hatsumomo. Her torture by others would not be suffered through for herself, nor for the protection of Pumpkin. It would be for the Chairman. It was simple.

The Chairman had saved her life, her sanity. Now she would travel the entire world to find him, just for a single glance or a smile. Even if she saw the back of his head and not his face, all of this would be for something.

Placing the folded cloth back in her obi, she stood from her place on the stone bench and began to walk down towards the bridge leading to her district. If she were to find the Chairman, she would first need to become a Geisha.


	2. The Hope of a Girl

**A/N: **I do not own Memoirs of a Geisha, its concept, its ideas, its characters, nor its logos. They belong to Arthur Golden, thank you. Also, "shamisen" could be spelled "samisen", or "sangen."

----

_Some things go unseen ... others are forgotten, escaping from mind and time ... such as memories, such as life. Such as love. _

As the sun settled lowly over the hills, its orange rays streaking the purple sky, Chiyo took her place in the Nitta household, eating quietly as Hatsumomo spoke of her day at the tea houses. It seemed she was the most popular Geisha in all of Kyoto, and she looked it too. She turned her face towards the girl, smirking, as she began to speak of one of the patrons whom asked her to dance. It appeared that the geisha enjoyed attention, as Pumpkin and Chiyo listened to her every word.

Even with her bragging and boasting almost every hour that she was home, they enjoyed the stories. So many of them -- and none of them included life inside of the Nitta house. Chiyo didn't mind that, as she had almost never left the place, only to run to the store for emergency groceries, or to hold the parasol for Hatsumomo until she reached the gate where she met up with her friend, Korin.

The warm room seemed to be bursting with life as the almost-twenty-something laughed loudly, shaking her head. She seemed very much like an Empress, with her pale make-up and long gowns. Chiyo did not feel jealous of her, much more in awe, though she kept her thoughts to herself and her eyes on the ground. The woman also had a temper. She had learned this from when she had served her rice that was slightly underdone and Hatsumomo threw the black bowl at her, which missed and shattered against the wall. Anything could set her off, and it was easy to step on toes in this household.

Turning her eyes towards Pumpkin, the young girl felt like it should be right if only they were able to stay together. She had heard talk of moving Pumpkin to Hatsumomo's room as an apprentice, and this made them anxious. What would it be like, living with the girl? In the same household, it was almost impossible. But the same _room_? And after the eldest Geisha had lost her temper after Chiyo had been ordered to clean her room, what would she do? No chattering as one cleaned and the other practiced shamisen.

Perhaps tomorrow would come earlier and Chiyo could slip away, to her sister Satsu, and head out back towards her home by the sea. But looking around the room at the women, as only women lived here, it seemed impossible. No one was allowed to leave unless instructed. Pumpkin, Auntie, Mother and Hatsumomo. Grandmother was upstairs in bed. How could she escape from this place?

No, no. She wouldn't. She needed to stay here. For Pumpkin, possibly. But mostly for the Chairman. She wanted to see him -- she needed to. His kind eyes and soft smile made her heart flutter. It was like a dream. An impossible one, so vivid and real that it tore her heart. It was like a nightmare as well. Could she not have him? She was only ... Chiyo counted her years mentally, as she had nearly forgotten in the fuss of the house. How old was she? Fourteen? Almost. It seemed like she was so much older, running errands and cleaning. Scrubbing the floors, sweeping the rooms and sewing collars. All of it just to meet a single man years older than her.

Looking back down at her rice, Chiyo felt a feeling bubble inside of her. It was not hatred, as she had felt towards Mr. Tanaka as he sold her and sent her on the train, and it was not fear that she felt the first night she was taken from home. It was something else, something stronger ... Hope? Was that it? Had she ever felt it before? It was almost strange, feeling her stomach churn and her heart beat faster. Yes, she believed it was hope. Hope for what, though?

Hope for her sister, that she'd get away from that .. _place_. And hope for Pumpkin, that she would find peace in living with Hatsumomo. And hope that she, herself, would grow to become a Geisha. And hope that one day, even for a single second, she would meet that handsome man with the kind smile and laughing eyes. The one on the bridge that gave her the cherry ice and handkerchief. The one whom was escorted by two lovely women towards a play.

Hope that she, Chiyo Sakamoto, would meet, once again, Ken Iwamura.


	3. Dangerous Names

Disclaimer: I do not own Memoirs of a Geisha, its concept, its ideas, its characters nor its logos. They belong to Arthur Golden. Thank you.

3/10/10

-----

_We can separate ourselves from our minds, our bodies and our souls, but what we really need isn't within ourselves at all. It lies within something else ... something unknown and unexplainable. Like a pit in a plum, we have a hard rock in our chests that we can not dig out without destroying ourselves. Let it be wisdom, or experience itself, that we learn this before it's too late and the damage is done. _

Chiyo folded her kimono, staring out the window gazing upon the grounds. If she were to escape, it would be through here. Down the paths and to the streets. Unfortunately, the gate was locked all day, unless Hatsumomo was gone. On her days off she either lounged around the house calling orders, or disappeared through the crack in the backyard between the house and the wall. She would be gone for hours at a time, only to return drunk and giggling. Once she came home smelling of some sort of perfume, that used by men, and grass. They did not question her as she was the sole income of the house.

But now that the sun was rising, its rays permeating the soft blue sky, it seemed like a logical thing to do: escape. But what about Pumpkin? Would her debt be pushed onto her? She didn't want that. They were close friends, as they were similar ages. Both taken from their families and sold to the okiya.

The girl shook her head and placed her evening gown in her small wardrobe, pulling out her morning kimono. She would be able to clean today, and as she did so she would listen in on Mother and Auntie as they talked in the Reception Hall, guests coming and going. It wouldn't be suspicious, a young girl cleaning the floors with her ear to the wall. If it were not allowed, no one would be allowed to clean during the mornings.

As Mother was now upstairs in her room, counting her money and on the telephone (which was a new item to Kyoto), Chiyo slipped from her room, tying her sash tightly around her tiny waist and crossed over the hall to the front of the okiya. She slipped on her shoes and slid open the door, stepping out into the fresh morning air. What would happen should she not be sent out this day? Punishment, for sure. But she had errands to do, running all over town and gathering things.

Pressing the front of her feet into the grass, she stared out at the world. It was like a great beast, a dragon. Waking up slowly, opening one eye and then the other. Soon it would stretch and yawn, shaking itself awake and lumber towards water. Everyone would be out in calm runs to the stores and shops. But soon they would all be back in their homes, talking with their families, or at work. Then, finally, at night, when the great beast seemed ready to sleep, it would jerk up and out, flashing all of its colors. That's when it was really awake, that's when Kyoto was alive. People were out, parties were being hosted, ochayas were reserved and geishas were entertaining. The night was the time when everything happened.

And that's when she was locked away in the okiya, prisoned like a lamb, ready for the slaughter for the dragon's next meal. Like a bird in front of a lion, where she resided is how she lived. Her the bird, Mother and Auntie and Grandmother the lion. Her the lamb, Hatsumomo the beast -- the dragon.

-----

Does a child know when it is dangerous to do something if no one has ever taught her? Or does she know when enough is too much and she has done something exceedingly, if no one's told her? That is how it was with young Chiyo. Being raised as the daughter of a fishmonger, she was not allowed on the boats, or near them, for that matter. And only taking care of herself and her mother, as her sister could take care of herself, it was a strange and difficult transition to take care of the entire okiya.

Pumpkin as tormented with this task as well, scrubbing the floors with hot water for hours, only to be told that she had missed a corner and had to do it all over again. It seemed an impossible task to make anyone in the house happy, as they were concerned with eating, beatings (punishment was a code word) and, of course, money. Income was the only thing that made Mother happy, and she was still in a sour mood most of the time.

As the cubby faced girl sat on her knees, exhausted, she wiping her forehead with her right forearm. Steam rose up from the rough-bristle brush and towards her face, making her sweat. It was not anything easy to be a Geisha. This is how Hatsumomo started out? That was hard to imagine, seeing as how she was so spoiled. Did anyone dare ask her to pick up after herself, let alone others?

She began to scrub the wooden floors, strands of hair sticking to her face. She did not want to be here, as neither did Chiyo. But they were stuck. Stuck here, in this place with the monster that lurked in her room during the day and appeared at night. The famed geisha of Gion: Hatsumomo.

Pumpkin heard the soft padding of feet outside of the okiya, echoing towards the front. She looked down the hall to see the door slide open and Chiyo step in, sliding off her shoes and rush towards her. The first did not except her to stop, but she did.

Sakamoto collapsed to her knees next to her friend, picking up a second brush, "Pumpkin," she began in a rushed voice, low and secretive, "you must help me."

"What? What has happened, Chiyo?"

"I have seen something."

"What is it?" What could possibly be wrong? And hadn't she just left to get groceries?

"I have spotted Hatsumomo," she breathed, leaning in close to her friend, "Please, I can not tell you here. Someone will hear us."

Pumpkin stared in wonder at the other girl. A secret? But how? Hatsumomo could be spotted anywhere all over Gion, except for in the pleasure district of course. So what made Chiyo so excited? Had she heard something? Did she hear if Hatsumomo had suddenly passed and now Pumpkin was free from being stuck with her as a maiko?

As the girls gathered their buckets and brushes, they hurried down the hallway towards the room they shared. Setting down the bucket, Chiyo slid open the door and let Pumpkin in. Then she picked up the wooden pail and stepped in, kneeling and closing the door.

"What? What is it, Chiyochan?"

"I have seen Hatsumomo -- "

"Yes, she is all over Gion. Do you not know that?"

"No, Pumpkin. She was with a man!"

The girl fell silent, her eyes widening. With a man? "Not a patron?"

Chiyo shook her head, "No! It was someone else, someone .. ." she paused and leaned in, as did Pumpkin, "who, when she met him, she _kissed_."

The cubbier of the two gasped, pulling back and covering her mouth with her hands. "She is not allowed to do that."

"I know. I believe I heard her call him Koichi."

"Koich ... " Pumpkin paused, "I believe I have heard of him before, Chiyo. When she was with Korin ... she was talking about him ... Koichi ... "

As they mused over this new information, they did not hear the approaching footsteps that grew louder as they came closer. Chiyo and Pumpkin began to giggle, their voices carrying out towards the hall, along with names. Mother .. Hatsumomo ... Koichi.

At this the door slid open quickly, banging into the frame. Both girls turned suddenly, staring as the woman stepped in, her eyes narrowing.

"What did you say?"

Chiyo was frozen, staring in horror at the woman before her, her black eyes like polished stones, her lips pulled into a deep frown.

Hatsumomo.


End file.
